These officers, at the monthly meeting of the secretaries to the government a few days back, voiced concern at the charges of non-cooperation levelled against some of them by some ministers last month.

Terming the criticism unfounded, about half a dozen bureaucrats reportedly levelled counter-charges against some miniters who they alleged wanted them to do their bidding even if it meant bending the government policies.

The bureaucratic concern comes in the wake of some ministers like the Minister for Science, Technology, Environment and Medical Education Maheshinder Singh Grewal criticising them at a meeting of the Council of Ministers during May. The officers were blamed for delay in implementing government programmes.

On the other hand, bureaucrats felt that they were drawing the flak less on policy matters than on the issue of ordering postings and transfers of the staff. They pointed out that most of the ministers were keen to influence transfers of class two to class four employees which was beyond their purview under the Rules of Business framed by the state government.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, they said that though the transfer season was over in most of the departments and only isolated transfers could be effected with permission of the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary, some ministers wanted to bypass this procedure. When this was resisted by the secretary concerned it was projected as 'non-cooperation'.

These officers wanted the government to either reframe the Rules of Business or strictly stick to the laid down policy.

One of the ministers, on the other hand, alleged that he telephoned a secretary at his residence but the latter replied that he was not at home.

Another Cabinet Minister accused one of the Deputy Commissioners of trying to 'create a wedge' between him and a senior party leader of the area by asserting that for him the latter was supreme so far as the affairs of the district were concerned.